In the company of three former presidents and their wives, President Biden and Vice President Harris uphold a long-standing tradition today, visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier directly after the Inauguration.
President Biden left the Capitol at 14:10 with his motorcade, headed for Arlington National Cemetery. Here, the President and Vice President, along with their spouses, are to uphold a presidential inaugural tradition, placing a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The newly inaugurated team was preceded by those who previously held office: Bill and Hillary Clinton, George W. and Laura Bush, and Barack and Michelle Obama. At their turn, President Biden and Vice President Harris walked to the front of the large marble rectangular monument to “an American soldier, known but to God.”
Biden and Harris stood as an Army band played the national anthem. He saluted, and she held her hand over heart.
At 14:44 the President and Vice President moved forward to a wreath of green leaves interspersed with red and white blooms that had been set on a stand. They stood before it a moment, in prayer, before backing up. A bugler played before another moment of silence.
Stretched out ahead in view was much of the cemetery, the Jefferson Memorial and, beyond that, the Capitol dome where the inauguration had just taken place.
At 14: 47, Biden and Harris climbed the steps into the memorial, followed by their spouses and the three sets of former presidents and their wives.